Health Moment: Top Six Warning Signs of Teen Prescription Addiction

Over the past 10 years, the rate of prescription drug abuse among teens has risen steadily. As reported in the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America revealed, “nearly one in five (4.5 million) admits to abusing medications not prescribed to him or her.”

Furthermore, as reported on NJ.com, according to the Federal Center for Disease Control, “60 percent of prescription abusers begin abusing pills before the age of 15.”

Top Six Warning Signs of Teen Prescription Addiction

• Increase or decrease in sleep

• Poor decision-making

• Appears to be high, unusually energetic or revved up, or sedated

• Missing medications

• Sudden weight loss

• Frequent injuries

What can parents do if some or all of these signs match your teen?

Parents should not be afraid to check their teen’s knapsacks/ backpacks or any other personal belonging that can reveal prescription drug use. The same goes for their teen’s computer. A spot check of your teen’s Social Media profiles like Facebook is also perfectly acceptable. This applies to emails as well.

If all else fails and your child has ventured down a dangerous path that appears to be irreversible, it may be time to start searching for Teen Prescription Drug Rehabs or if the situation is more serious a detox facility.

Contributor:  Scott Brand

Scott Brand works in the outreach department of Inspirations for Youth, one the nation’s leading Teen Adolescent Addiction Treatment Centers. He spends his time talking to the teens about their inspirational stories of recovery.

Brand during a television news interview about teen drug and alcohol abuse

Sources

Conte, Annemarie. Prescription Pills: The New Drug of Choice for Teens. GoodHouseKeeping.com.  Retrieved February 4, 2014, from http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/parenting-tips/prescription-drug-abuse.

Kardaras, Nicholas. (2012, October 20). 8 warning signs your teen may be abusing prescription drugs. FoxNews.com. Retrieved February 4, 2014, from  http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/10/20/8-warning-signs-your-teen-may-be-abusing-prescription-drugs/